Plaiting device



L. L. KNAUR.

PLAITING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10. mo.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' AL/IWAz/r L. L. KNAUR. PLAlTlNG DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1 0 I920.-

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES LAURA L. KNAUR, OF DENISON', TEXAS.

PLAITING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

Application filed September 10, 1920. Serial No. 409,438.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURA L. KNAUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denison, in the county of Grayson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plaiting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in plaiting devices.

Several devices have been developed for plaiting dress goods and holding the folds in shape to be pressed and steamed. I have found that most of these devices require the exercise of considerable skill and also the use of fastenings such as pins and the like for holding the goods in place.

It is the aim of my invention to provide a simple plaiting device in which the goods is securely held in place as each plait or fold is made, thus obviating the use of pins and also expediting the plaiting as well as saving labor and requiring less skill and dexterity. Another result sought is to provide means for holding the plaited goods in position while it is being pressed and steamed.

In carrying out the invention I provide a support which is movable and which carries a plurality of holding elements arranged to cooperate with the plaiting knives so as to hold the goods in place, said holding elements preferably being vertically adjustable. The support is arranged to move as the goods is plaited. It is desirable also to provide a roller on which the goods may be wound and a support for the unattached folding strips or knives. The alternate knives are preferably arranged on guide means so as to be readily slid into place. Means is provided for clamping the folded goods in place and this means is adjustable. Another feature which is contemplated is the arrangement of the entire device so that it may be folded up into a box and concealed; however, this is not essential to the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a plaiting device constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the device,

Fig. his a sectional detail of the front end port on of the device,

Fig. 5 1s a cross sectional detail showing the manner of mounting the supporting arch andslidable folding strips,

F g. 6 is a detail of the clamping means,

F g. 7 1s a side elevation of one of the sliding strips, and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the removable strips.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a base board which is hinged at its rear end to a strip 11, the latter being hinged at its rear end to a bottom board 12. The parts 10, 11 and 12 are disposed horizontally in the same plane and constitute a base. A front attaching strip 13 extends across the front edge of the base board 10 and is suitably scured on top thereof. Channel members 14 extend along each side of the board 10 from the front to the rear edge thereof and constitute guides. An upstanding guide rib 15 is disposed longitudinally at the center of each channel, but terminates short of the front end of each channel which is closed; whereas the rear end of each channel is open.

A transverse support in the form of an arch 16 has its lower ends engaging in the channel 14 at each side of the board 10, each end being provided with a notch 15 receiving the rib 15. Guide elements such as rods, or wires 17 extend longitudinally of the channels on each side of the rib 1 5 and above the same; the front ends of the rods being embedded in the closed end of the channel members 14;. These, rods are received in apertures 17 in the lower ends of the arch 16. Fastening pins 18 extending transversely through the rear ends of the members 14: engage over the rods 17 and hold them against upward displacement. It

will be seen that the arch 16 may be moved the strip 13 rearwardly under the flanges 19 to the rear wall 21 in which they are suit ably fastened. Plaiting knives or strips 23 have eyes 23 at each end and are threaded on the wires 22 which form guides therefor so that the strips may be slid forwardly and rearwardly of the device.

On the strip 13 a narrow piece of felt or other fabric is removably fastened by means of thumb tacks 25 or other suitable fastenings, so as to extend rearwardly and over the board 10. The goods to be plaited is pinned or otherwise fastened to this piece of cloth 24. The goods extends over the board 10, and part 11, and has its rear edge attached to an apron 26 which in turn is fastened to a roller 27. The goods may have its rear edge suitably fastened to the apron as by means of pins, and may then be wound on the roller 27 so as to be supported and unwound as the plaiting is carried out.

The roller 27 has its ends j ournaled in up right posts 28 hinged at their lower ends at 29 to the forward portion of the board 12, and held in an upright position by braces 30 piY0ted to the posts and engaging in the said board. B disengaging the braces the posts may be gilded down onto the bottom board 12. Each post has in its inner face near its top a downwardly and forwardly inclined groove 31. These grooves receive the end of a tray 32 having lugs 33 at each end engaging the rear sides of the posts so as to hold the tray in the grooves. Plaiting knives or knives 34 are disposed in the tray. These strips are removable and are shorter in length than the. knives 23 so as to be freely inserted between the wires 22.

In using the device goods is wound around the roller 27 as has been described, and then passed over the knives 23 which are disposed in collected order between the posts 28 and the strip 13. The forward edge of the goods is attached to the binding cloth 24 as is shown in Fig. 4. The plaiting operation is started by moving the forward knife 23 forwardly on its guide wires 22 to the position shown in Fig. 3. One of the removable knives 34 is taken from the tray 32 by the operator. The arch 16 is slid forwardly.

The top member of this arch carries a plurality of horizontal posts 35 which have their ends projecting forwardly and passing through slots 36 in vertical bars 37. lVing nuts 38 are threaded on the ends of the bolts and are used to fasten the bars in position. By means of the slots 36 the bars may be adjusted vertically. Each bar 37 has its lower end bifurcated and receives the upper end of a finger or blade 39 on a pivot 40. These pivot joints are sufficiently tight to cause the blades to remain in the position to which they are swung.

When the arch 16 is moved the fingers 39 are swung to one side as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.v The lower ends of the fingers are preferably rounded and the bars 37 are adjusted so that when the fingers are swung to a perpendicular position their rounded ends will press on the goods which is being plaited and hold the same down on the board 10. The arch is moved forward to such a position that when the fingers 39 are swung downward they will press the goods and the cloth 24 against the rear face of the strip 13. The knife 34 which has been removed by the operator is now pushed downward between the front faces of the fingers and the goods. The fingers 39 are then swung to one side and the first knife 23 is moved forwardly so as to contact with the goods which has been folded down by the knife 34. This makes the first plait. The fingers 39 are again swung down so as to force the goods down over the knife 23 and hold the same in close contact with the rear face of said knife. By this arrange ment all wrinkles are taken out of the goods and the same is tightly drawn over the knives and further is efficiently held in position without the use of pins. Another knife 34 is removed from the tray and forced downward between the folds of the goods and the fingers 39. Another knife 23 is then moved forwardly into contact with the goods, the fingers 39 again being swung to one side and then forced down on the goods. It will be seen that in this way the goods is folded about the knives and the work expeditiously and efiiciently carried out. The arch being free to slide will be gradually worked rearwardly as the work progresses.

After the goods has been plaited and un fastened from the strip 26 a follower bar 41 is placed in rear of the last fold on the board 10. A plurality of holes 42 are provided in the base board 10 and the bar 41 is pulled forwardly so that pins 43 may be inserted in the holes 42 in rear of said bar so as to hold the same in position. Longitudinally slotted keepers 44 receive the pins at their rear ends and also receive bolts 45 extending upwardly from the base board 10 through the parts 13 and 24. Wing nuts 46 threaded on the upper ends of said bolts hold the keepers in position. The keepers rest on top of the plaited goods and the strip 41, thus holding the goods while the same is being steamed and pressed as is usual in this class of work. It is obvious that any modification may be carried out and different kinds of knives used. It is to be understood that the keepers are removed while the goods is being plaited and are also taken off when it is desired to remove the plaited goods which is accomplished by lifting out the knives 34 and sliding the knives 23 rearwardly. 7

It will be seen that the tray 34 may be removed from the grooves 31 and the posts 28 swung downward by disengaging the braces 30. By removing the pins 18 the arch 16 may be removed and together with the keepers a4 and bar ll placed in the receptacle formed by the sides 20 and rear wall 21. As shown in Fig. 3, the parts 10 and 11 may be folded up to form the front and cover of a box as indicated in dotted lines, and thus inclosing the whole device in a convenient manner. However, this is not essential to the invention as is obvious.

What I claim, is:

1. In a plaiting device, a base, a plurality of plaiting knives, plaiting and holding fingers suspended over the base and cooperating with the knives to hold the goods while said knives are being placed in position, and means for clamping and holding the goods after it has been plaited.

2. In a plaiting device, a base, a plurality I of plaiting knives, and plaiting and holding fingers suspended over the base and cooperating with the knives to hold the goods, while said knives are being placed in position.

3. In a plaiting device, a base, a plurality of plaiting knives slidably confined on the base, a plurality of removable knives coacting with the sliding knives for folding goods therebetween, and swinging fingers mounted on the base for engaging the goods between the knives.

I. In a plaiting device, a base, a plurality of knives slidably confined on the base, a plurality of removable knives coacting with the slidable knives, a support slidable on the base, and means for suspending a plurality of pivoted fingers from the slidable support for folding the goods between the knives.

5. In a plaiting device, a base member, guides mounted on said base, an arch adjustable in said guides, pivoted fingers carried by said arch and overhanging the base, a plurality of knives slidably confined on the base, a plurality of detachable knives coacting with the slidable knives, and means for holding the forward edge of a piece of goods in fixed relation to the base.

6. In a plaiting device, a base member, guides mounted on said base, an arch adjustable in said guides, pivoted fingers carried by said arch and overhanging the base, a plurality of knives slidably confined on the base, a plurality of detachable knives coacting with the slidable knives, means for holding theforward edge of a piece of goods in fixed relation to the base, and means for supporting a roll of goods to be plaited.

7. In a plaiting device the combination of a base, a support slidable on the base, pivoted fingers carried by the support, guide elements, knives slidably confined on the guide elements, detachable knives, the slidable knives and detachable knives cooperating with the fingers, a follower bar, means for holding the bar against the plaited goods, and keepers arranged to be passed over the plaited goods and the bar.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

LAURA L. KNAUR. 

